


House Party

by takawbelle



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Awkward Crush, Dancing, Episode: s03e02 The Headband, F/M, House Party, Zutara Month 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-23
Updated: 2020-05-23
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:20:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,538
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24334264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/takawbelle/pseuds/takawbelle
Summary: “Toph,” Zuko started patiently with a level tone, “we are currently on the run. It’s already bad enough that Aang is now at his ‘let-me-be-a-regular-Fire-Nation-teenager-and-attend-Fire-Nation-indoctrination-school’ phase. What’s worse is that he wants to expose us all in hostile territory! And all because he wants to throw a house party!” His voice rose with each word until he finished with his words ringing across the cave the Gaang called home for now.“And yeah, dancing sucks,” he muttered as an afterthought.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 169
Collections: Zutara Month 2020





	House Party

**Author's Note:**

> AU of “The Headband” (Season 3, Episode 2) when Zuko already joined the Gaang in “The Crossroads of Destiny” (Season 2, Episode 20). You guys remember that Kataang sparring-dance? Well, I kinda improved it. (Not sorry, canon.) This is just a fic about Zuko being an awkward teen with a little awkward crush on a more perceptive girl. 
> 
> Zutara Month 2020 Day 5: Cave of Two Lovers
> 
> ATLA is not mine, will never be. Enjoy.

Zuko buried his face in his hands. Again. This is fast becoming his signature pose in contrast to Aang’s head comically cocked to the side or Sokka’s thumb gripping his chin in contemplation. 

Toph was trying to make the case: “Aang is our last hope. Aang wants to dance. Surely we can give the world’s designated savior a break, yeah?”

Without removing his face from his hands, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation shook his head and sighed loudly.

“Come on, you haven’t given Aang a break since you started teaching him firebending. We need a happy, _well-rested_ little Avatar when the Day of Black Sun arrives,” Toph persisted. 

They can hear Aang outside already chattering to a clueless Momo about how to arrange the candles and rocks for tonight. His chirpy voice and Toph’s self-serving logic made Zuko’s head throb. Zuko made a conscious effort to center himself before he did something rash, like burying Aang in the sand for another hundred years before the Avatar does some well-intentioned damage.

“Toph,” Zuko started patiently with a level tone, “we are currently on the run. It’s already bad enough that Aang is now at his ‘let-me-be-a-regular-Fire-Nation-teenager-and-attend-Fire-Nation-indoctrination-school’ phase. What’s worse is that he wants to expose us all in hostile territory! And all because he wants to throw a house party!” His voice rose with each word until he finished with his words ringing across the cave the Gaang called home for now.

“And yeah, dancing sucks,” he muttered as an afterthought.

“Well, it’s a break for the rest of us too,” chimed in Katara as she touched his arm. 

He blinked, rant forgotten. Up to now, he never got used to Katara trading her modest Water Tribe sleeves for the more daring Fire Nation halter tops. _Practical, not daring. Exposing skin is just a consequence of the scorching heat. No big deal,_ he corrected himself. His eyes lingered on Katara’s hand before he marched off to a corner and sulked. 

So he finally found a place in the grand scheme of things. Granted, being the group’s resident grump and the Avatar’s firebending teacher was not exactly the role he envisioned when Uncle Iroh talked about destiny, but banished princes can’t be choosers. Unfortunately, Zuko must also get used to a democracy where he and Sokka got outvoted two to three in the matter of the house party. He was even assigned to “candle duty,” which meant using his firebending for useless party decorations.

He’ll just have to stand by and watch Aang literally and figuratively burn the house down.

____

“So where did you get that eye patch, Cap’n Zuk?” squinted Aang before the party started. All of them needed to blend in; between a scale of Toph just swapping Earth Kingdom greens with Fire Nation red, to Sokka ageing convincingly as a pompous Fire Nation father with a luxurious beard, Zuko landed in the middle.  


“First Mate Katara was kind enough to sew one from Sokka’s old pants,” breathed Zuko through gritted teeth. “And don’t call me Cap’n Zuk!” he called out to Aang, who was scurrying over to welcome his _guests_.

By the time party was in full swing, Zuko was already on his third glass of cucumber-aloe juice. He leaned back and, against his better judgment, admired his handiwork: countless candles lined the walls of the cave, steadily burning with nary a flicker breaking the flames thanks to Zuko’s ambient firebending. No matter how wildly Aang flipped through the air, the flames remained as they are. _It’s all in the breath,_ Zuko thought smugly. 

He sneaked a glance at Katara, who was smiling but not joining the crush. The corners of his lips lifted just a little. 

“You might want to ask her to dance. A house party this awesome probably happens only once every Avatar’s lifetime,” chuckled Toph beside him.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” he sniffed.

“You have no idea. Period. And oh, you’re a worse liar than Aang. Your heart rate goes off the charts when you lie, just like when you’re near your favourite waterbender,” smirked Toph.

He was silent for a while. While he was not surprised that Toph knew of his little crush – the blind girl was absolutely ruthless in ferreting out lies – he just wasn’t expecting to be found out sooner. Surely he hadn’t been that transparent?

Toph punched him, not as hard as she would Sokka but enough to ache. “Go on. Ask her. You’ve faced worse problems than dancing with a girl you like.”

When he stubbornly crossed his arms, Toph gave an exasperated sigh. A moment later Zuko landed on his bottom, his earthen seat melding back into the ground. The dancing kids were too busy to see that little bit of renegade earthbending.

“Guess you’ll have to find another seat,” yawned Toph with feigned nonchalance. “Ooh, maybe there’s one next to – oh, I don’t know – Katara!” 

Not wanting to remained crouched in the dirt, he crossed the cave and plunked down next to Katara. He was scowling but inwardly he promised he’d give Toph all the lychee nuts he could scrounge. _Thanks for giving me an excuse, Beifong._

The music was getting more and more frenetic but when she turned to smile at him, all he heard was the hammering of his heart. There were only the two of them at the table. Coupled with the warm glow of candlelight and the revelers crowding them from all sides in a claustrophobic hug, Zuko felt he was marooned with her on a shiftless island floating around the sun. 

He never wanted to be rescued.

____

“Do I have something on my face?” yelled Katara in his good ear. Zuko blinked the bright spots out of his vision and reddened at having her mouth so close to his face.  
She was looking at him oddly for a while then her face broke into a grin. “You want to dance?”

_From the wok into the fire._

Before he could say no, she grabbed his hand – oh Agni, my palm’s sweaty, he grimaced – and dragged him to the dance floor. 

“But I don’t know how to dance!” he yelled and threw his hands up. A boy jostled her from behind and Zuko fought the urge to singe him. 

Katara closed the distance between them and laughed in his ear, “But you do know your firebending forms. Let’s spar without our elements!” Without giving him the chance to back out, she started circling him, her eyes flashing and palms pointing upwards. She had that sharp, focused look he had seen so often in the past, when they used to battle as true enemies. His breath hitched at the sudden rush of adrenaline that came with the memories, and he followed her.

She nearly took him offguard when she threw all her weight behind a punch. He knocked her fist aside as he steadied his stance, preparing to counter-kick. She tiptoed out of his reach but the circling dance continued. 

“What happened to your classic waterbending forms? That one was definitely more like firebending,” he asked, more bemused now than nervous. 

“You were teaching Aang one time and I just saw something I liked,” she smirked. He might be imagining things, but he suddenly felt that it was not his firebending forms that Katara liked. The uneasy ache in his belly settled into a more pleasurable tickle and he launched a flurry of punches which she blocked with alacrity. She gave as good as she got, and he wondered if all they times they fought was only a prelude to this dance. He slyly adjusted his blocks nearer his chest so she would be goaded into reaching in and just being closer to him. 

He barely noticed that the dancers shuffled to the sides to give them room to spar – _dance,_ he corrected. _In their own odd way, they were dancing._

He could feel the flames of the candles growing a tad stronger in response to his enthusiasm. A bead of sweat trickled down his back. This was the most fun he’s had since he threw away his old life and joined the Avatar. Looking at the girl in front of him, he felt vindicated in his choice. 

All of a sudden she stopped and brought her fists together in the customary Fire Nation bow. The dance has ended. Cheers went around them before the dancers returned, putting their own sparring spin into their respective dances. Adrenaline making him bolder, he stepped closer to Katara and was about to invite her to a stroll outside when he heard a man’s voice yelling that this party is over. Zuko quickly spied two men and a woman entering the cave. He again buried his face in his hands. When the universe gives, it gives just enough to keep you wanting.

____

Half an hour later, the Gaang was flying over the night sea. Aang was still chattering about how awesome that party was to a bored Toph. Sokka was already snoring. Zuko looked at Katara. Meeting her eyes, he whispered, “Maybe we could dance like that, next time?”

Her smile was all candlelight and warmth. “Next time,” she nodded.


End file.
